CHICAGO — Prior to their game Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Chicago White Sox made five roster moves, which included calling up a pair of outfielders who hopefully provide some much needed juice to their offense.
According to a press release from the team, Chicago has selected the contracts of outfielders Rafael Ortega and Tommy Pham, while also optioning Dominic Fletcher to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, and designating left-handed pitcher Bailey Horn and outfielder Kevin Pillar for assignment.
Pham, who is 36 years old, has gone 5-17 (.294) with one RBI and three runs scored in four games with the Knights after signing with the White Sox as a free agent on April 16.
Pham batted .256/.328/.446 with 27 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, 68 RBI’s, 55 runs scored and 22 stolen bases over 129 games between the New York mets and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023.
He was traded by the Mets to the Diamondbacks on Aug. 1, where he hit .279 with three doubles, three home runs, four RBI’s and 10 runs scored in 16 postseason games as Arizona reached the World Series.
Pham has a career slash line of .259/.351/.435 with 163 doubles, 130 home runs, 431 RBI, 559 runs scored and 119 stolen bases in 1,005 games over ten seasons in Major League Baseball, spent primarily with the St. Louis Cardinals (2014-18).
Of note, he also owns a .453 slugging percentage and .833 OPS vs. left-handed pitchers across his career.
Ortega is hitting .241/.378/.431 with three home runs, 14 RBI’s, 11 runs scored and 14 walks over 18 games with Charlotte this season after signing with the White Sox as a free agent on Jan. 5.
He is a career .247/.324/.352 hitter with 22 home runs, 109 RBI’s, 136 runs scored and 47 stolen bases in 411 games over seven MLB seasons.
Those familiar with the Cubs may remember Ortega, as his best stint in the big leagues happened on the North Side. In 221 games from 2021-22, he slashed .265/.344/.409 with a 107 OPS+ and 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 68 RBI’s and 24 stolen bases for the Cubs.
Fletcher was hitting .203/.277/.271 with six RBI’s in 20 games this season, his first with the Sox. He was acquired from Arizona on Feb. 3 in exchange for right-handed pitcher Cristian Mena.
Pillar batted .160/.290/.360 with one home run and four RBI’s in 17 games this season, his first with the White Sox after signing as a free agent on Feb. 5.
Horn went 1-1 with a 11.32 ERA and 15 strikeouts over nine relief appearances with the Knights in 2024. He was reacquired by the Sox from the Cubs on Feb. 27 in exchange for right-handed pitcher Matthew Thompson.
Following the moves, Chicago’s 40-man roster remains at 40.
